VIRTUE AND SCIENCE.
Pindarick Poems.
DEDICATED To the Most Illustrious PRINCESS, ANNE, Dutchess of RICHMOND and LENOX, AND To Her Sister, The Right Honourable, FRANCES, Countess of NEWBURGH.
By J. S.
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1695.
PREFACE.
To the Judicious and Pious READER.
THat Virtue, or the Love of Heaven above all things, is a necessary Requisite to the Attainment of Salvation, and the High Road to Beatitude, is the constant Judgment of all those, who are not meer Libertines, or Deists; nor can any doubt but Faith is also necessary, except those Naturalists, who deny all Divine Revelation. For, How can any man Love Coelestial Goods, if he does not first in some manner know them? And, How can the Generality of Mankind know things Unseen and above the pitch of their Natural Reason, but by way of Authority; that is, by Faith, or the Believing others who do know them?
But yet, meer Faith is not alone sufficient for that Great End: St. James assures us, that Faith without Works is Dead; and Life being the Principle of Action or Motion, we cannot move or Promote our selves towards Heaven, by that which is Dead or without Life. Wherefore the Endeavours of all Spiritual Directours are employ'd in rendring Faith Lively and Operative; and this can only be perform'd, by making it more Clear, and more Familiar to our Conceptions; that so the Obscurity of it may not Retard our Progress, or Benum and Chill the Fervour of our Devotion. To this end our Common Directress, the Church, Instructs her Ghostly Children, the Faithful, by Catechisms, which Explain to them their Faith; She Obliges them to Pray at some Set Times, and Exhorts them to do it often; She proposes to them the Good Examples of Holy Men to excite their industry; She Administers to them Sacraments, the most pregnantly-expressive Signs to represent to them Spiritual things: She enures them to Practise their Devout Tenets, by enjoyning them to keep many Signal Seasons, (as Sundays and Festivals) Holy: Lastly, She Lays a kind of Sweet Force upon them, to keep up their Spirits from Drooping and Lazy Dulness, by her well-order'd Discipline; which puts them upon Exercising what Her Instructions had Taught them: And all this to no other end, but by Acquanting them more familiarly with their Faith, to make it Vigorous, Lively and Active.
But now, besides those Ordinary ways of advancing Faith, there are other Clearer Lights; to attain which, is the work of but a few more Elevated Christians; tho', if Industry and Instruction be not wanting, they may, to a fair degree, be compassed, by considerable Multitudes; all of them tending to perfect Souls in the Knowledge, and consequently in the Love of God, and in a great measure supplying the Disadvantage of Faith's Obscurity. Such as are, First, The Science of Controversy; which if rightly managed, shews the Absolute Certainty of the Grounds of Faith, by Evidencing the Truth of Christs Doctrine, and that it has been sincerely and incorruptedly Transmitted down to us who live now. Secondly, Cheology, which renders that Doctrine more Intelligible by shewing its Agreeableness to Natural Principles, and its Connexion with those Truths which are more Clear and Obvious to our common Conceptions. Thirdly, By Higher, Purer, and more Empyreal Lights gain'd by Abstraction from the world (either Totally or at Seasons) and continual Employment of our Thoughts in Meditation and Contemplation; which burnish the Rude and Ʋnpolished Ideas we have of Heavenly Goods with a more Bright and Dazling Lustre; being (as far as our State here will allow) a certain kind of Experience of their Transcendent Excellency. And Lastly, Natural Science, or the true Knowledge of the Book of Creatures; which (and especially that part of Metaphysicks which treats of Abstracted Spirits) if Solid, and applied as it ought, is apt to raise the Soul to very sublime Contemplations. And These Knowledges are particularly They, which are meant here by Science as she is the Handmaid to Dirtue: For they do all conduce highly in their several Stations, to make our Apprehensions of Heavenly Things more Clear, Active [Page]and Lively: They rivet and confirm in us our Adhesion to Heaven-reveal'd Truths, and add to our Spiritual Progress Incomparable Advantages. This is that Wisdom, which St. Paul tells us he spoke among the Perfect; and which is recommended here to all those that aym at Perfection.
I thought fit to deliver my Conceptions, tho' they were of the Highest Points of Christian Morality, in the way of Poetry, because this is more Elevated, and more becoming Great Subjects than Prose. The thoughts of a Poetical Writer use to be more Comprehensive; which renders his Sense more Full, and his Expressions more Smart. And I took the way of Courtship, to shew that there is no manner of dressing up a Subject, but may be Useful to Devotion; especially when the Matter guards the Author from all suspition of Levity. Besides, there is something of Charmingness in such kind of Addresses. Love is so Tender and Soul-melting a Passion, that it is Grateful to all whose Natures are not Sower'd by a Rigid Humour: Nothing can be either more Attractive or more Perswasive, than the Soft and Delicate Language in which it uses to be delivered. But I can need no more Authentick Voucher than the Holy Ghost, nor a more Warrantable Precedent, than the Sacred Scripture it self endited by his Inspiration. Never was any thing more affectionately writ than that Song of Songs, the Canticles of Solomon; in which the Dearest Love between the Church and Her Heavenly Spouse is penn'd throughout in such Amorous Language, and such Ravishingly-kind and Courtly Expressions, that perhaps the most High-Soaring Fancy that ever Writ since in that strain, has never been able to reach or equal it. He is but Meanly Verst in Poetry, who sees not that that Devout Piece is a perfect Love-Poem; and which is most dislik't by some Nice-judgments, a Dramatick Poem too; or as we familiarly call it a Play; where the several Persons Come in, Speak, and Answer in their turns. Whence we may farther discern that 'tis not the Artificial Form of Writing this way or that, which is Displeasing to God, but the applying that Form to Foolish Matter, or Unworthy and Unchast Subjects. Besides, in taking this Method, I had a due Regard to the Devout Sex, who take more delight in the Tender Expressions of Poetry, than in severe Precepts delivered in Rougher Prose; their Genius leading them to be more affected with what's Quaint, and to profit more by such Instructions as are usher'd in with Pleasure, and some kind of Gayity.
That I Dedicated these Pieces to those Illustrious Ladies, was a Natural Effect of the Just Honour and Highest Respects I do, for many Regards, bear Themselves and all their Noble Family; which dilates it self into so many Branches adorn'd with most signal Marks of Honour, as perhaps Few in our Nation can equal it: And 'tis the greatest Encomium I can give to those Two Excellent Personages, that by publishing to the World they have a special Title to such Dedications, I declare at the same time that their Virtuous Education and Personal Endowments are such as render them capable of understanding the most solid Grounds of Christian Morality, and of benefiting Themselves by such Productions as exceed the reach of those Ladies who are not far above the common Levell of their Sex and Quality.
The Annotations may in one passage or two seem too speculative. But, I desire it may be consider'd that those speculations that are Aiery and Phantastick are indeed justly Blameable; but that those which are nothing but a deep Search and Inspection into the Nature of the Thing, which is under consideration, (as I am well assur'd these are) cannot justly be taxed with any thing but their being too well-grounded, and too solid; which are such Good Faults that they can need no Excuse: Nor can any thing be deem'd too Obscure, which the dayly Course of our Christian Life, with a due Reflexion on our Interiour, will, after a while, beat out Plain to us; and requite our Industry and Patience with the Evidence and Satisfaction it will bring along with it when 'tis fully comprehended.
DEDICATION: To Her GRACE The DUTCHESS of RICHMOND.
To VIRTUE, His Soul's Mistress.
ANNOTATIONS.
(a) BY Virtue is meant that Queen of all Virtues, Charity, or an Intire Love of God; no Virtue being truly and indeed such, but That which directs all our Actions to our True Last End, and only Sovereign Good, the Enjoyment of Him: This, and none but This, being able to Satiate Man's Natural Inclination and Propension to Happiness. No wonder then the most elaborate Expressions fall short of reaching the Character Due to such a Transcendent Excellency: This being the Highest Perfection of which a Creature can be capable in this world: Since none is, or can be above it, but that which is beyond all our Conceptions, the Ʋnspeakable State of Glory, or the Actual Fruition of God as in Himself.
(b) After the Author had disgrac't the Idle Courtships and Ridiculous Flatteries, us'd by the common sort of Poets to their Worldly Mistresses, he addresses himself to Invoke his Spiritual Mistress, Virtue; and so makes the same, which was his Subject or Theme, to be his Must also. And, to ennoble his Conceptions as much as may be, he raises his Thoughts to contemplate Her in that most Perfect State in which she will be found in every Holy Soul at the Last Day; when all Venial Imperfections, exprest by St. Paul by the Metaphors of Hay, Stubble, &c. which alloy'd the purity of Heavenly Love in most of them, shall be purged away, by the Ravishing Sight of their Dear Saviour (whom they had loved here chiefly, tho' not so perfectly as they ought) now appearing in his Glory; and coming to deliver them from their tormenting Pains, caused by their suspensive Hope of their long-delay'd and earnestly-desir'd Bliss; and from those pains of Sense also which they endur'd for their By-Affection, and Undue Adhesion to Creatures; the love to which they did not so entirely order to the Love of Heaven.
Let then the Readers but fancy to themselves that Ardency of Divine Love, which at the World's happy Period, when the Course of Nature, now for ever useless, shall be at a Stand, and Time shall be no more, will transport those Holy Souls, and instate them in the Eternal Inheritance of those Blissful Mansions: Let them next reflect on what Faith assures them, that either they must strive to store up in their Souls, while they are here, that Disposition, which, and which only, can immediately fit them for Heaven; or, they must be eternally Miserable if thy wholly neglect it, or else suffer unspeakable Torments in the Intermediate State, if they but slightly cultivate their Minds with Virtue: Let, I say, Loose Livers and Tepid Souls, but reflect steadily on these two Points, and it must needs excite in them a Sollicitous care to improve their Wills with a fervent Love of Heaven; which may be with less labour attained, and at a far easier rate purchast here that hereafter.
(c) The Whole Material World was created for the Salvation of good Souls, and consequently, to breed and nourish them up in Virtue; without which Salvation is Ʋnattainable and Impossible: And, 'tis the peculiar effect of Charity or Virtue, to order all those Creatures we make use of as Means to compass that Best End. Whence by the Rule of Contraries, we may gather the Hideous Enormity of Sin; which, consisting in the Chusing some Creature for our Ultimate End, and in the Directing all our Actions to the Attaining and Enjoying that Perishable and False Good, does of it's own nature disorder all the World, and ravel it into a wrong Frame and Method; and would actually Pervert the Order of the Universe, did not the Infinite Goodness of God, to support his own Work, and supply the Failings of his Weak Creatures, mercifully bring a Greater Good to the World [Page 9]out of their Miscarriages, make a More perfect Harmony Spring out of that Confusion; and so contrive things, that the Vices of the Wicked should advance Holy and well-meaning Souls to a higher pitch of Virtue.
(d) As Vulgar Poets use to extoll their Worldly Mistresses for their rare Nature, the Composition and Symmetry of their Bodies, the Gracefulness and Beauty of their Face, the Agreeableness of their Humour, the Sweetness of their Breath, and Deliciousness of their Breasts; so all these Considerations are turn'd here to a Spiritual Sense, in Commendation of Virtue under each of these Respects.
(e) Anaxagoras the Philosopher held the Soul was made of Harmony: Too Musical a Conceit, unless meant as here, that she is a Principle of Order. And certainly of all Orders That is the most Harmonious, best proportion'd and Exact, which directs every thing to Man's True Last End for which his nature was Created: A Property only belonging to Charity or Virtue.
(f) For the Order of Sublunary things passing thro' the hands of Creatures, who are Themselves disabled by Weakness, or disorderd with Passion, (and therefore in both regards Imperfect Agents) does oftentimes seem Straggling and Perplext: And only the Supream Manager of the World, can bring all those Crooked Windings to meet in a Direct Line, and knit up all those Ill-order'd and Monstrous Actions in a Beauteous Cloze.
(g) The Love of Heaven gives a good Soul a Cheerful Contentedness, a hearty Interiour Satisfaction and Spiritual Joy, (which is therefore one of the Fruits of the Holy Ghost) sets her above all Peevish Regrets which discompose the minds of those who over-sollicitously affect Sublunary Goods or Temporary things; For 'tis This that ballances all Her Discontents by giving Her an Inward Assurance that no Crosses or Contradictions are in the least able to hurt Her; but on the contrary, born with a Glad Resignation, they do (as the Apostle says) Co-operate to Her Salvation. Wherefore, this Vivacity of Spirit, best resembles the Genius, Comportment and (as we may say) the Good Humour of Virtue.
(h) Heaven seems oft times to delay it's Spiritual Favours to increase our Reward by striving longer and more earnestly to obtain them by our Ardent Wishes, and Fervent Prayers; by which (as our B. Saviour expresses it) the Kingdom of Heaven suffers Violence.
(i) Mutual Expressions of Love, between the B. Spirit desirous to diffuse its Gifts, and Courting us to dispose our selves to receive them; and Devout Souls, solliciting with Affectionate Wishes for Grace in the Way and Glorious Fruition in the End.
(k) Fervent and Frequent Desires of Heaven.
(l) Angels.
(m) All Corporeal Nature, or Bodies, are Ʋnable to move themselves, but must be mov'd by another; which is the definition of an Instrument. Whence the whole Material World is but one Great Instrument of the Intelligences or Angels, which order and move the several parts of it according as may suit best with the Designs of God's Providence.
(n) All our good Actions, and even Desires of Virtue, Spring from the Motions of the Holy Ghost, breath'd (as it were) into our Souls.
DEDICATION: To the COUNTESS of Newburgh.
To SCIENCE, Virtue's Handmaid.
ANNOTATIONS.
(a) WHat is meant here by Science, is already declar'd in the Preface; viz. All those Knowledges, whether acquir'd by Prayer or Study, which, superadded to Faith, are apt to render it Lively. And indeed, should we restrain the common signification of that word (which imports no more but Knowledge) to the Stricter Sense in which the Schools take it, nothing ought (even speaking of Natural Objects) in true speech to be called Science, unless it be in some Sort deriv'd from God, and by means of that Derivation, be apt to raise us to the Knowledge of Him: For, since all Truths are Connected, and Science is the Knowing of things by their Causes; hence, only such Knowledges as relate to the First Truth, and inform us of the Derivation of Things from the First Cause, or of their Connexion with it, can pretend to the Honour of being reputed True Sciences: For which reason the Epicureans, who deny a First Cause, and hold all things to be done by Chance, can lay no Claim to Scientifical Knowledge of any thing in Nature; Whence, of all other Sects of Philosophers, Their Principles are the most Absurd, Precarious, and Inconsistent.
Moreover, Science is intended to Perfect the Understanding Faculty; but when 'tis Practical, and fits the Soul for Action, that is (in our case) for the Love of God, then 'tis Full, Lively, and in that state, which makes Science be as it should be, that is Unmixt with Ignorance: Whereas, when 'tis meerly Speculative and Unactive, 'tis Weak, Faint, ofttimes Airy, and alwayes (as to Heaven) Ʋseless; and by reason of it's Imperfection, being alloy'd with some degree of Ignorance, it degenerates from the Sincere and Genuine nature of Knowledge. For it is to be noted, that Virtue and Science are here treated of, as in their Abstracted Ideas, or as perfectly depur'd from all their Imperfections; as may be seen in the third Stanza upon Virtue, and in the 7th. and 8th. Stanzas here. With which it may well consist, that there may be many inferior Degrees of both of them, that are not acquired either by Art of Contemplation, but are Instill'd by the Common Doctrine and Discipline of the Church, which may suffice to bring Souls to Heaven sooner or later, tho' they may not perhaps come so high, as to dispose them Immediately for the Beatifical Vision; this being only attainable by those, who are Pure in Heart, and cleans'd from all Inordinate By-Affections to Creatures; which requires more than Common Illuminations.
(b) For the Connatural way to Love any things, is to Know and Conceit Lively the Goodness that is in it; and therefore Regularly, and in due order of Nature, according to the Express and Lively Knowledge a Soul has of Coelestial Goods; so great in proportion is her Love of them. Whence, whenever she falls into Sin, or Loves not Heaven as she ought, 'tis because some Temporary or False Good, making a more Agreeable Appearance to her at that unlucky Season, the Knowledge of the Incomparable Good of Heaven, which she had before, is Darken'd and Dimm'd by Passion, or (which is the same) by too much affection to some Creature; according to that saying of Divines, Omnis peccans ignorat, Every one that sins is (to some degree) Ignorant. How far Ignorance is Culpable or Excusable, belongs to that Great Judge to determine who knows the Heart? Only this we can certainly affirm in common, by the Light we have from Christian Principles, that whenever the affection to any Creature so besots and Blinds us that we do not Love Heaven above all things, but fail in those Duties which only can dispose us to attain it, we are plunging our Souls into that sad condition, which, unrepented of, must inevitably bring us to Eternal Misery; when our Jolly Days, so carelesly spent, are past, which God only knows how few they may be.
(c) To illustrate this Point held by some Great Divines, we may reflect, that, as when in other Animals the Brain is Full of Species, or Particles receiv'd from any Object that is agreeable to their Natures, it happens, that by this Total possessing of the Fancy, abundance of Spirits are sent forth thence into other parts, whence the Animal becomes Active and Eager to pursue it; which Principle or Power of Acting we use to call Appetite or Sensitive Love of it: In the same manner, when, in a Rational Creature or Man, the Ʋnderstanding is Wholly taken up with the Knowledge of Heaven, clearly appearing to it as its onely True and Eternal Good, that Fullness of Heavenly Thoughts excludes and hinders the Co-existence, much more the Competition of the deluding and seducing Appearances of Transitory Goods; whence the whole Man strains towards the attainment of it, and becomes Active to pursue; which Knowledge, now made a strong Practical Judgment and Operative, does the same that the Will uses and is to do, and therefore (say they) 'tis the same Power which we call the Will: Whence the Great St. Austin, no less solidly than acutely, says that the Understanding and Will do differ as Luna semiplena and plena; that is, as the Moon Half-full and Full.
To apply this to our Point in hand: In the same manner that these Powers, called the Understanding and Will, do differ; so, in the same proportion (according to this Opinion) must Knowledge and Love of Heaven, (that is, Science and Virtue) which are the Acts, or rather Habits, of those Powers be distinct also; and the Difference between them, if we take Knowledge as in its perfect State, is this, that the One is consider'd as receiv'd from Outward Objects, and perfecting the Soul interiourly, as it is Intellective; and the Other, as it has respect to those Acts it is to produce, and to the End it is apt to work for or pursue.
The Usefulness of this Doctrine may seem to evince its Truth: For, hence we may clearly see that the only secure way to resist Temptations, to avoid Sin, to raise our Souls to Heaven and keep them up at that pitch, and (in a word) to manage our Actions so as to attain to Salvation, consists in this, that either we fix and rivet in our Minds by wise Reflexions strong and steady Habitual Judgments of the Incomparable Good of Heavenly Bliss, and of the Nothingness in comparison of all Temporary Goods, which is the Way Proper for the Learned and more Elevated Souls. Or else by Frequent Dints and Impressions made by constant Prayer, Devout Reading, Pious Discourses, Ʋse of Sacraments, &c. To lay up in our Souls Great store of Spiritual Ideas, and Express conceits of Heavenly Objects, so that they may be ready and at hand to make head against, and subdue the Weaker Band of the Impressions made by False Goods assaulting our Fancies with their Glossy and Sophisticate appearances, and Tempting us to follow their Sinful Suggestions. For our constant Experience informs us upon a Cursory Reflexion, that we never Conquer in our Spiritual Warfare, but when we are well furnisht with such Heavenly Ideas, which keep our Soul upon her Guard, and Fortify her with the Lively Representations of our True Good; and that, on the other side, we are never Overcome, but when, thro' our Neglecting to stand prepared for our Christian Battel, we have either Rang'd but a Thin Troop of Heavenly Thoughts on Reasons fide; or else, thro' our Slack Discipline, we keep them not Watchful to repell the Fiery Darts of Concupiscence, which our Ghostly Enemy makes use of when he assails us. Whence Assiduity and Constancy in our Spiritual Exercises, and Devout Duties, not for Fashions sake, but out of a Sincere and True Intention to bear up to Heaven, is the Only Sure and Effectual way to attain it; and whenever we grow Careless and Negligent in performing those Duties, we do most certainly lie Expos'd to the Stratagems of our Adversary the Devil, and are in imminent danger of being Spiritually Wounded by Sin; and if that Wound be Mortal, of Spiritual Death, Eternal Damnation.
(e) Had all Men Perfect Science of the Excellency of Heavenly Bliss (of which we onely Treat here) Faith would not be needful for that particular; neither (if all other Respects were Equal) would there be so much Sin in the World? Which is one Reason why the Saints in Heaven are absolutely incapable of Sinning, or falling from their Happy State.
(f) By considering the Particularities, found in each Piece of Nature, apart; which, thus singled out, become fit to be the Objects of the several Sciences that Treat of them: Whereas, were those Distinct Considerations blended together confusedly as they are found in the Thing it self, our Imperfect way of Knowing, being unable to comprehend the whole Object, and all the several Respects that belong to it at one Intuitive View (as do the Angels) and consequently, not being able to fathom it, we could not have any Science at all of it.
(g) To accomplish a Soul in Exact Virtue, either our own Knowledge, enabling us to look thorowly into Christian Principles and our own Interiour; or, the Guidance of Skilful and Knowing Spiritual Directors is absolutely necessary; without which many Imperfections and Deviations from the straight Rule of Christian Morality must needs happen.
(h) That is, what's Uneven and Inconsistent; what Tepid and Weak thro' want of Habitual Steadiness and [...]rmness; and what's against the Exact Rule of Christ's most Immaculate Law, or beside that Rule.
(i) It being too tedious, and indeed impertinent, to mention the other Liberal Sciences, notice is here taken of Musick onely; which is us'd in all Publick Solemnities as an Incitement to Devotion, and absolutely necessary for Sacred Poesie, (Psalms and Hymns) in which the most Soul-melting Strains of Piety are deliver'd.
(k) An Intellectual or Spiritual Nature.